Upgrade gives range of sports a boost
A $250,000 upgrade of a Taranaki multisports stadium to host national championship rugby matches this year will also benefit other sports, venue officials say.
The Taranaki Electricity Trust (TET) granted the money to the TET Inglewood Stadium to bring the venue up to standard to host Taranaki Bulls home matches in the Mitre 10 rugby championship.
Inglewood Stadium Trust chairman Lyall Bunn said the money would be used to upgrade public toilets, make repairs to the main uncovered stand, install a digital scoreboard, and add artificial turf to the sidelines.
Bunn said the upgrades would not only prepare the ground for five Mitre 10 rugby home games but also the North Island Colgate Games in January 2021.
The three-day athletics meeting, to be hosted by Inglewood, attracts between 1000-1500 athletes from 7 to 14 years old.
Bunn said the TET grant brought forward upgrades already planned.
‘‘The stadium trustees had planned to upgrade the facilities in stages over several years but TET recognised if the facilities were to be showcased the upgrades needed to be done together.’’
He said much of the work will be carried out by local contractors after a tender process.
TET chair Alan Jamieson said the stadium was a valuable asset for sports and schools in the region.
The upgrades would be a boost for the local economy, which the trust was keen to support.
‘‘It’s business as usual for the trust supporting local facilities and helping to generate work in the region,’’ Jamieson said.
TET deputy chair Mike Davey said small businesses in Inglewood would benefit from an influx of people coming to watch Mitre 10 and Colgate events.
The Mitre 10 Cup is currently scheduled to begin in early September.